Self-propelled floating dock and separator filter assembly for treating polluted water surfaces and nautical works

ABSTRACT

There is provided a self-propelled enclosure for treating polluted water surfaces. It comprises two longitudinal caissons, a bottom floor and transverse partitions to connect the longitudinal caissons and to define the enclosure. A door is pivotally mounted at the front end of the floating enclosure and is downwardly foldable between a closed position of the enclosure, intermediate positions of the door and a fully opened position thereof in a plane which substantially coincides with the plane of the bottom floor. In this manner, the upper edge of the door can be at a predetermined depth under the water surfaces to enable polluted water to enter the enclosure. A vault is formed in the bottom floor to define a channel underneath the bottom floor and a motor-operated helix is disposed at the rear end of the channel to suck water in the channel so that upon downwardly folding the door at a level lying immediately beneath a polluting layer, the self-propelled enclosure will be seen to advance over water to cause the polluting layer to slowly enter the enclosure until it fills the same.

United States. Patent Chastan-Bagnis [54] SELF-PROPELLED FLOATING DOCKAND SEPARATOR FILTER ASSEMBLY FOR TREATING POLLUTED WATER SURFACES ANDNAUTICAL WORKS [72] Inventor: Lucien Chastan-Bagnis, 21, Avenue lsolaBella, Cannes, France [22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 62,568

[52] US. Cl ..210/242 [51 Int. Cl. ..C02b 9/02 [58] Field of Search..210/83, 242, DIG. 21, 523

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,268,081 8/1966 Menkee eta1. ..210/242 3,081,879 3/1963 Schroeder et a1 ..210/523 3,237,7743/1966 Schuback ..2l0/D1G. 21 3,219,190 11/1965 Thune ..210/2421,591,024 7/1926 Dodge ..210/242 3,517,812 9/1967 Bucchioni et al...2l0/D1G. 21

FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 931,594 7/1963 Great Britain ..2l0/D1G.21

51 Oct. 3, 1972 Primary ExaminerReuben Friedman Assistant Examiner-T. A.Granger Attorney-RaymondA. Robic ABSTRACT There is provided aself-propelled enclosure for treating polluted water surfaces. Itcomprises two longitudinal caissons, a bottom floor and transversepartitions to connect the longitudinal caissons and to define theenclosure. A door is pivotally mounted at the front end of the floatingenclosure and is downwardly foldable between a closed position of theenclosure, intermediate positions of the door and a fully openedposition thereof in a plane which substantially coincides with the planeof the bottom floor; ln this manner, the upper edge of the door can beat a predetermined depth under the water surfaces to enable pollutedwater to enter the enclosure. A vault is formed in the bottom floor todefine a channel underneath the bottom floor and a motor-operated helixis disposed at the rear end of the channel to suck water in the channelso that upon downwardly folding the door at a level lying immediatelybeneath a polluting layer, the self-propelled enclosure will be seen toadvance over water to cause the polluting layer to slowly enter theenclosure until it fills the same.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTED B1 3 I973 FIG. 1

INVENTOR Lucien CHASTAN BAGNIS ATTORNEY 1 SELF-PROPELLED FLOATING DOCKAND SEPARATOR FILTER ASSEMBLY FOR TREATING POLLUTED WATER SURFACES ANDNAUTICAL WORKS with the cleaningof water surfaces which are polluted asa result of pouring therein hydrocarbons or garbage which float in thevicinity of the water surface.

The device according to the invention may be used to clean muddybottoms, to collect seaweeds, to draw sea water. Finally, because of itshydrostatic properties it can be used as a device for careening or forfighting fires.

In the treatment of water surfaces which are polluted by hydrocarbonsthe present state of the art is limited to the pouring of two types ofproducts; first, those which bind the hydrocarbon into a floating mess,which one tries to collect at a later stage; second, those which form aprecipitate which sends the hydrocarbon at the bottom, which means thatthere is a more or less complete destruction of the living organisms.Pumping operations carried out at the surface, and dragging with theintention of cleaning muddy bottoms are both slow, very costly and nottoo efficent. Since the water which is intended to be treated often hasa large surface area, the use of pumps is nearly impossible because toomuch power would have to be used on the spot.

The device according to the present invention can move extremely largequantities of liquids such as water and hydrocarbons while usingsubstantially reduced power outputs by merely creating a horizontalcurrent within the fluid. Essentially, when a motoroperated helix isrotated in a fluid it creates a current. If an adjustable panel isdisposed vertically and across the current in front of the helix, itwould be possible to accumulate very little water but a lot ofhydrocarbon behind the panel. The device according to the inventionbeing essentially mobile and autonomous it could be very rapidly sent inthe vicinity of a polluting layer, which it will attack by movingthereover. The only interruptions result from unloading which mustnecessarily be carried out at regular intervals.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention,

FIG. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the device according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a half view taken from below.

Viewed from above, the device illustrated sits inside a rectangle; itstransversal section is an isosceles trapeze in which the shorter base isthe bottom. Two floaters l extend along the whole length of the lateralsides of the device, and these floaters 1 could be filled with water oremptied at will be means of pumps or compressed air. The front portionof the device comprise a door 2, which is rotable about the axis 3 inorder to close the space between the bottom 5 of the device, and thefloaters, l in the raised position of the door 2. Eventually; when thedoor 2 is lowered down, it can reach the horizontal position. Aprismatic type of inclined vault in the form of an open three-sidedchannel slowly rises from the axis of the door until it reaches thevicinity of the rear end of the device. The vault is identified'byreference number 4. The vault 4 projects upwardly from the bottom 5 anddefines a channel until the latter reaches a duct 6 which has a circularcrosssection and in which a helix 9 is mounted. The bottom 5 alsocomprises shutters or flushing valves not illustrated in the drawings.in front of its opening and perpendicularly thereto, the duct 6 iscovered with a filter 7 which occupies the entire remaining innertransversal section of the device. Towards the rear, behind the filter7, the duct 6 comprises two vertically pivoting doors 8 which can beopened inwardly and used to flush the device after a filtration. Betweenthe intermediate and upstanding transverse rear end partitions 8a and8b, there is a motor 10 which is used to rotate the helix 9 inside theduct 6. To steer the device, there is a rudder 11, which is pivotallymounted at the rear end of duct 6. A half-circular notch can be used tofold the rudder against the rear board. In this way, it is possible toadapt a flexible handle to duct 6 for works being carried at the bottom:sucking of mud, production of a bed to facilitate the lifting of aninanimated body, sucking of water at large for thalassotherapy. In thiscase, the motor must rotate the helix 9 in the opposite direction. Itcould eventually be possible to stabilize the device by means of ascreen 12 which is perpendicular to the axis of the device and for whichthe immersion can be regulated. All the controls can be mounted in andcarried out by anyone of the two small compartments 13, provided on bothsides of the motor 10.

The operation of the device according to the invention is as follows.The device is on top of the water, the door 2 is closed, and the deviceis then brought to a zone where water is polluted. The door 2 is lowereddown in such a manner that the upper edge thereof lies immediatelybeneath the polluting water. The motor propels the device by suckingwater in the channel and duct underneath the vault while causing thepolluted liquid to enter the device and to slowly fill the compartmentdefined by the door 2, floaters l and the intermediate partition 8a.Once filling is over the door 2 is closed. The liquid which is now inthe compartment defined by the floaters can be carried away, if thepollution results from the presence of hydrocarbons. If only debris arepresent, the liquid could be filtrated in the device according to theinvention. For this purpose, the doors 8 are opened, and the motor isstarted. Since the doors rest against one another, the front portion ofduct 6 is closed. Sucking can only be carried out through filter 7,where water is sent rearwardly of the filter and it than enters the duct6 by the opening of the doors 8. The variations of the conductibilityvariations of polluted sea water can be measured between two electrodesand be used to automatically control the opening of the door 2, which ismounted at the front end of the device, as well as the doors 8 or theflushing valves. The apparatus which has been scribed can also serve tolift up small articles and can be used as a careening enclosure. Thesame operation can be carried out in the case of a fire aboard a smallboat by protecting the latter from the risk of sinking when the pumpssent water over the fire.

The novelty of the device according to the invention resides mainly inthe use of a strong current of water which is created in the vicinity ofthe surface by the motor operated helix. The motor has an average poweroutput. The action of the current is carried out horizontally to permita separation of fluids or foreign debris. The means currently used arethose supplied on an industrial basis. The device according to theinvention will necessarily be small and could be incorporated in thestandard equipment of a harbour. If there is a high level of pollutionof the sea close to the a coast, a large number of these devices couldbe used to rapidly free the surface of the sea water from floatinghydrocarbons.

lclaim:

l. A self-propelled floating device for removing pollution from watersurfaces which device comprises, in combination:

a. two longitudinal caissons which are substantially parallel and spacedfrom one another and having front and rear ends,

b. a bottom floor extending between and joining the caissons at theirlower portions,

c. a first upstanding transverse partition extending between and securedto the rear ends of the caissons,

d. a second upstanding transverse partition extending between andsecured to the caissons adjacent the rear ends thereof and spaced fromthe first upstanding transverse partition so as to define a compartmenttherewith,

e. a door pivotally mounted to the bottom floor adjacent the front endof the caissons for removing the pollution, which door is adapted to beadjustably pivotable between a fully closed position at which point itserves to define an enclosure with the caisson, the bottom floor and thesecond transverse partition, and a fully opened position at which pointits surface is substantially coplanar with the surface of the bottomfloor,

f. a vault formed in the bottom floor and defining a three-sided,downwardly open upwardly inclined channel extending substantially fromthe front end of the caissons to the second upstanding transversepartition and a horizontal channel connected to and extendingsubstantially from the inclined channel to the first partition,

g. a motor with a helix mounted in the compartment with the helix beingdisposed within and enclosed by the horizontal channel such that theoperation of the motor will cause the helix to rotate and create astrong current of water which is drawn into and through both theinclined and horizontal channels. thereby causing the device to moveforward such that the door serves to remove the pollution from the watersurface and collect same within the enclosure.

2. The device of claim 1 further including:

a. a filter disposed within the enclosure between the secondtransverse-partition and the door,

b. a pair of openings formed in the walls of the channel,

c. a pair of pivotal doors adapted to close off the openings such thatwhen the doors are in their open position and the motor is in operation,the pollution is separated by the filter from any water collectedtherewith and the water is caused to pass into the openings and outthrough the channel. 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the portion of thechannel enclosing the helix is in the form of a duct having a circularcross-section.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 441Dated October 3, 1972 In Lucien Chastan-Bannis It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Title Pa e, Left Column, between lines ll and 12, insert "[30] Forei nApplication Priority Data October 21, 1969 France PV No, 6937029-En'gned and gcaled this A Nest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Micsling ()ffirer ('unlnliSXiunvrnj'lalcnrs and Trademarks

1. A self-propelled floating device for removing pollution from watersurfaces which device comprises, in combination: a. two longitudinalcaissons which are substantially parallel and spaced from one anotherand having front and rear ends, b. a bottom floor extending between andjoining the caissons at their lower portions, c. a first upstandingtransverse partition extending between and secured to the rear ends ofthe caissons, d. a second upstanding transverse partition extendingbetween and secured to the caissons adjacent the rear ends thereof andspaced from the first upstanding transverse partition so as to define acompartment therewith, e. a door pivotally mounted to the bottom flooradjacent the front end of the caissons for removing the pollution, whichdoor is adapted to be adjustably pivotable between a fully closedposition at which point it serves to define an enclosure with thecaisson, the bottom floor and the second transverse partition, and afully opened position at which point its surface is substantiallycoplanar with the surface of the bottom floor, f. a vault formed in thebottom floor and defining a threesided, downwardly open upwardlyinclined channel extending substantially from the front end of thecaissons to the second upstanding transverse partition and a horizontalchannel connected to and extending substantially from the inclinedchannel to the first partition, g. a motor with a helix mounted in thecompartment with the helix being disposed within and enclosed by thehorizontal channel such that the operation of the motor will cause thehelix to rotate and create a strong current of water which is drawn intoand through both the inclined and horizontal channels, thereby causingthe device to move forward such that the door serves to remove thepollution from the water surface and collect same within the enclosure.2. The device of claim 1 further including: a. a filter disposed withinthe enclosure between the second transverse partition and the door, b. apair of openings formed in the walls of the channel, c. a pair ofpivotal doors adapted to close off the openings such that when the doorsare in their open position and the motor is in operation, the pollutionis separated by the filter from any water collected therewith and thewater is caused to pass into the openings and out through the channel.3. The device of claim 1 wherein the portion of the channel enclosingthe helix is in the form of a duct having a circular cross-section.